In a major blow to drug trafficking networks, police in Chiang Rai and Phayao provinces have seized nearly half a tonne of narcotics and 4 million methamphetamine pills in separate high-stakes operations this week.
In Chiang Rai, a 45-year-old man identified as Mr Chan, who carried a pink ID card, was apprehended while transporting a massive load of drugs in a black Isuzu pickup. The arrest took place near Maekhao Tom Junction in Nang Lae Subdistrict, following a coordinated police operation on July 26–27.
Acting on intelligence gathered from a July 19 arrest in Lower Central Thailand, authorities learned of Mr Chan’s plan to smuggle drugs from the Thai-Myanmar border at Mae Sai into Chiang Rai city. Officers intercepted the pickup on Phahonyothin Road and conducted a search of the vehicle’s cab.
Inside, police discovered large black bags filled with 202 blocks of crystal methamphetamine, weighing 202 kilograms, and 228 blocks of ketamine, totaling 228 kilograms. Two mobile phones were also confiscated. Mr Chan now faces charges for possession and intent to distribute both Type 1 and Type 2 narcotics—crimes classified as serious threats to national security and public safety.
Authorities believe the drugs were intended for a distribution network operating within Chiang Rai city. Investigators are now working to trace further links in the smuggling chain.
Dramatic Drug Bust in Phayao
In a separate case, Phayao police intercepted a drug convoy early in the morning of July 27. The dramatic chase involved two vehicles: a white Mazda pickup with Phrae plates acting as a scout, and a grey Mitsubishi with Maha Sarakham plates carrying the narcotics.
After spotting the convoy around 2 a.m. in Phayao city, officers initiated a pursuit toward Mae Ka Subdistrict. When the suspects refused to stop, police fired at the vehicles’ tires, eventually bringing them to a halt.
Three suspects were arrested at the scene: 60-year-old Mr Kongkangwan (also known as Kong Saijai), 47-year-old Mr Natjak (Top Sonjai), and 40-year-old Mr Rhianthong (Thong Chae Fah).
Upon searching the grey Mitsubishi, officers found a staggering 4,000,000 methamphetamine pills packed in sixteen black bags—each bag containing 250,000 tablets. The drugs were hidden in the truck bed and inside the vehicle.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Pongsawat Chaiyaban, Chief of Phayao Provincial Police, credited intelligence coordination and swift action for the successful interception. The suspects and the evidence are now in custody, with authorities expanding the investigation to identify additional members of the trafficking network.
These two high-profile busts underscore the continued efforts by Thai authorities to disrupt drug trafficking routes, particularly those operating across the porous Thai-Myanmar border. With hundreds of kilograms of drugs and millions of pills removed from circulation, officials vow to intensify cross-border surveillance and dismantle trafficking operations at every level.
